Opening Bell: Markets up after U.S. jobs data

U.S. stocks regained some of the ground lost in the previous trading day as investors took in more encouraging news on the country’s job market but personal income and consumer spending rose less than expected in January. The TSX was also in positive territory but gained less than its U.S. counterparts on open.

Here is a look at what the markets were doing just after the opening bell on Thursday, March 1:

The Dow Jonesgained 32.20 points, or 0.25%, to 12,984.27
The S&P 500gained 5.71 points, or 0.42%, to 1,371.39
The Nasdaqgained 12.43 points, or 0.42%, to 2,979.32
The S&P/TSXgained 10.30 points, or 0.08%, to 12,654.31

Commodity prices were almost flat in early trade while crude oil futures were up 0.28% to US$107.37 a barrel in New York by 9 a.m.

Meanwhile, copper futures gained 0.75% as investors’ risk-on mood continued after the European Central Bank’s latest cheap debt offering, which also had European shares up with the FTSEurofirst 300 index gaining 0.84% by midday.